AB 341

Under current law, no person may intentionally convey false information

threatening to destroy property by means of an explosive or threatening to release

a chemical, biological, or radioactive substance. A person who does either of these

things is guilty of a Class I felony.

Under this bill, no person may threaten to cause the death of or bodily injury

to any person or to damage any person's property by any means under any of the

following circumstances: 1) the actor intends to prevent the occupation of or cause

the evacuation of a building, dwelling, school premises, vehicle (which is defined to

include any bus, train, boat, or airplane), facility of public transportation, or place

of public assembly or any room within a building, dwelling, or school premises; 2) the

actor intends to cause serious public inconvenience; 3) the actor intends to cause

serious public panic or fear; 4) the actor intends to cause an interruption or

impairment of governmental operations or public communication, of transportation,

or of a supply of water, gas, or other public service; or 5) the actor creates an

unreasonable and substantial risk of causing one of those occurrences and is aware

of that risk.

Under the bill, a person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a Class I

felony, unless the person thereby contributes to the death of any person. In that case,

the person is guilty of a Class G felony.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,

the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a

report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to

result if the bill is enacted.